A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the former minister violated due process in the award of consultancy contracts linked to the Nigeria Air project.
The witness, Christopher Odofin, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the disclosure on Wednesday while testifying before Justice S.C. Oriji in Abuja.
Sirika is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on amended six-count charges bordering on abuse of office and the alleged misappropriation of more than N2 billion in public funds.
Odofin, who appeared as the 12th prosecution witness, told the court that Sirika awarded a N299 million consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for services related to Nigeria Air and later approved an additional N599 million contract extension for the same company without following established procurement procedures.
According to the witness, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development wrote to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) on March 7, 2022, seeking a Certificate of No Objection for the engagement of consultants. However, he said the ministry awarded the contract to Tianaero on April 4, 2022, before receiving the BPP’s response.
“Before the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development received a response from BPP, the contract award letter had already gone out to Tianaero Limited,” Odofin told the court.
He further alleged that the BPP was not informed at all about the subsequent
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